Chris Woakes and Kane Williamson join the Durban Super Giants in SA20 2025

Duban Super Giants welcomed back former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and England international Chris Woakes for the third SA20 tournament. Williamson said shortly after the T20 World Cup that he was giving up his white-ball captaincy in order to play more franchise cricket, particularly in South Africa. He ultimately signed with Durban, which placed second in the previous campaign.

Nevertheless, Chris Woakes is not part of England’s white-ball cricket plan, which allowed him to play in the top T20 competition in South Africa.

In addition, he was left off of England’s T20 World Cup 2024 roster. He is a regular in the Test setup, particularly at home, and is a strong contender for the Champions Trophy selection. In the longest format, the Ben Stokes-led team also see him as James Anderson’s replacement.

He is excited to play cricket for a franchise, and joining Durban is one step in that direction. In the IPL 2024, the all-rounder was a member of the Punjab Kings as well, although he was unable to make the starting lineup. In his 33 T20I matches, he has claimed 31 wickets at an economy rate of 8.07. Though a lot hinges on Durban’s performance in the market, he is probably going to be in the starting lineup.

After choosing not to sign the central deal, Kane wanted to concentrate on franchise cricket and would be working hard in the SA20 to establish himself in order to get a good contract in the IPL. He played for the Gujarat Titans in the 2024 Indian Premier League, although he only managed 27 runs in two games. The cricketer, 33, is unlikely to be kept around, but a strong SA20 campaign could lead to fresh opportunities.

In addition to Williamson and Woakes, notable cricket players like Ben Stokes and Joe Root will also be included in SA20 2025. While Stokes has a contract with MI Cape Town, he hasn’t signed it yet. Root signed with the Paarl Royals. It should be noted that the franchises have until August 31 to sign direct players, with the deadline for retention being July 21.